Ten per cent of breast milk sold online had been topped up with cow's milk or formula, according to a stark new report from the US.
While the FDA has long warned against purchasing human breast milk on the internet, there continues to be a market for the "liquid gold", which is purchased by a broad variety of customers including mums who are unable to feed their baby themselves, cancer patients seeking an immune boost and even bodybuilders, who consume it as a nutritional supplement.
The results of a test of 102 samples, published in the journal Paediatrics, showed that while every sample tested contained human DNA, eleven of the bottles also contained bovine (cow) DNA.
Experts have warned that the high price of breast milk combined with the unregulated market make it a target for fraudsters looking to make a quick buck.
